Op/Ed

Fighting Our Modern-Day Slavery

At a time when America faces serious challenges, it
is imperative that Washington put aside partisan
hostility in favor of common-sense solutions that move
our state and nation forward.

Some people argue that it’s not possible to reshape
the dialogue to a more public-spirited approach, but I
believe that Florida can lead by example — working
together to do what is right. That’s my goal as chairman
of a diverse, 29-member Florida congressional delegation
that includes Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio,
Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, 16 Republican House members
and 11 Democrats.

A prime example of our bipartisan resolve occurred
last week when the Florida delegation held an official
hearing to tackle the growing problem of human
trafficking — a form of modern-day slavery.

Florida ranks third in the nation, behind California
and Texas, in the number of reported trafficking cases
and it experienced an alarming 54 percent increase last
year. Children account for more than half the cases of
human trafficking, a crime in which the victim is
abducted or recruited for sexual exploitation. It can
also involve illegal organ harvesting and forced labor.

At the hearing I co-chaired with Democrat Alcee
Hastings of Fort Lauderdale, we spoke with several
Florida experts on ways to combat this vile and
monstrous crime.

One of the witnesses was Elizabeth Fisher, founder
and head of Selah Freedom, a national
anti-sex-trafficking nonprofit based in Sarasota. Ms.
Fisher briefed the members on her group’s efforts to
help more than 2,000 young women in the Suncoast region.
She also shared the harrowing story of a Bradenton girl
who was trafficked from 11 years old up until she was
26.

The scope of the global problem is staggering: 27
million people are caught in the modern slave industry,
which turns billions of dollars in profits for the
heinous individuals behind these crimes.

This is an issue that demands immediate action.
Several of the witnesses offered constructive
suggestions to confront the problem. Ms. Fisher told us
that Congress should focus on helping victims reclaim
their lives, given that demand for services is tripling
annually.

Another witness at the hearing, Dr. Suzanne
Harrison with the Florida State University College of
Medicine, noted that training in the medical community
is essential to treat the girls and young women who “go
unrecognized in clinics and emergency rooms.

Congress should take these suggestions to heart as it
moves to address human trafficking.

I have co-sponsored bipartisan legislation, the
Abolish Human Trafficking Act, to increase penalties for
perpetrators and give law enforcement more tools to
treat human trafficking like organized crime.

I also voted for the Put Trafficking Victims First
Act, a bill that provides federal grants to train
prosecutors on how to best protect victims and
investigate human trafficking. It also provides
assistance for trauma care and mental health services to
victims. The proposal is currently awaiting action in
the Senate.

Too often, the subject of human trafficking flies
under the radar and only receives mainstream attention
when it appears on the movie screen. We must continue
the fight, not as Republicans or Democrats but as
Americans, to raise awareness and combat this abhorrent
crime against women and children in our communities. The
time to act is right now.

___

U.S. Rep. Vern
Buchanan, serving his sixth term, represents Manatee
County and parts of Sarasota and Hillsborough counties.
He is also a senior member of the House Ways and Means
Committee.Column courtesy of
Florida Politics.

This piece was reprinted by the Columbia County
Observer with permission or license.